Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini did not hide his disappointment after his side suffered a 5–3 defeat against Barcelona at La Cartuja.
Despite showing attacking intent and spirit throughout the contest, Betis were undone by a series of defensive mistakes that proved fatal against a ruthless Barcelona side.
Speaking openly after the final whistle, Pellegrini delivered a blunt assessment of his team’s defensive display and the impact it had on the outcome of the match.
“We made some significant defensive errors. They finished off the area very easily. We had a bad day. You can’t have a bad day defensively against Barcelona.
“There was also that controversial penalty… We had a bad game defensively, and they were very effective,” he noted.
Pointing out the error
The Betis coach went on to highlight what he believed was the decisive phase of the match, pointing to the lack of defensive compactness in the opening half that allowed Barcelona to take full control.
According to Pellegrini, the balance of chances was not as one-sided as the scoreline suggested, but efficiency made the difference.
“I think the key was that we gave them too much space defensively in the first half and they were very effective.
Manuel Pellegrini, Real Betis manager
Manuel Pellegrini assessed his side’s defeat. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
“We had as many chances as they did, but they scored them.”
Despite the disappointing result, Pellegrini was keen to recognise the fighting spirit shown by his players, who continued to attack and search for goals until the very end.
“If we have to lose, let’s do it like this, without giving up. We had the goals and then a couple more chances. We never gave up.”
The penalty incident
One of the most controversial moments of the night came with the penalty decision that led to Lamine Yamal’s goal, which effectively sealed Barcelona’s dominance.
Pellegrini made it clear that he was baffled by the referee’s call, although he stopped short of using it as an excuse for the defeat.
“I think that penalty hit Bartra first on the body and then on the hand… I have no intention of asking the referee.
“They invented a penalty to increase their lead. I’m not bringing this up to talk about the lost game, but I don’t understand it,” he explained.
Source: Mundo Deportivo